Color varying random event-determining gaming objects

ABSTRACT

A game object is used as a moving object to provide a random outcome event by movement and final stoppage in an outcome indicating position or mode. Examples are die, dice, balls, roulette balls, roulette wheels and pointers on candy wheel. The object has: A) a game object body; B) the game object body containing an accelerometer microchip or a receiver in communication with a transmitter, power source and light-emitting elements within the game object body, light from the light-emitting body being visible outside the game object body; and C) the microchip closing an electronic circuit for a period of time less than 5 minutes after the game body is moved.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 120 as a Continuationof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/928,077, filed 1 Nov. 2015,titled “COLOR VARYING RANDOM EVENT-DETERMINING GAMING OBJECTS”, which inturn claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.62/077,952, filed 11 Nov. 2014, titled “COLOR VARYING RANDOMEVENT-DETERMINING GAMING OBJECTS.”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of games and gaming in whicha gaming object determines a random event outcome at the end of randommotion of the gaming object. The gaming object may, for example, be aroulette ball, roulette wheel or die. The invention further relates togaming objects having variable visual properties.

2. Background of the Art

There are numerous games (without wagering) and gaming technology (withwagers) that use physical objects that assist in the provision of randomevent outcomes that are used to assist in game play or gaming outcomes.Among the games in which physical gaming objects such as dice, balls,wheels with pointers and the like are Craps, Yahtzee, roulette,Monopoly® game, Parcheesi, Bar dice, Pachinko, and the like.

There have been limited advances in some of these games over the years,In gaming environments, the most significant advances in dice androulette games have been the conversion of the games to electronicformats, converting wagering to an electronic format automation of play,and adding bonus wagers (such as streak (wagers to the underlying game.

Examples of electronic wagering systems at gaming tables (e.g., rouletteand dice games) include at least U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,659,866; 6,733,388;and 8,474,820; and Published U.S. Patent Application Documents Nos.20130184044; 20040116177; and 20110065513.

Other technologies used to try and vary wagering systems, includingroulette and dice games include U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,639 (Tokito) whichdiscloses a ball game apparatus that has a plurality of balls, a spiralrail for automatically delivering the balls, a field portion on whichthe balls delivered by the spiral rail can roll with a given degree offreedom, winning pocket portions and invalid pockets formed over thefield portion for receiving a plurality of the balls in each of them, aCCD camera for counting the number of balls received in the winningpocket portions and a calculator for calculating a score from the numberof balls counted by the CCD camera.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,023 (Lai) describes a random access game toy, whichincludes a rod member, which has a plurality of longitudinal grooves andlongitudinal number bars alternatively arranged around the periphery ofa top end thereof, transparent container covered on the top end of therod member, and a set of first color balls of a first color and at leastone second color ball of a second color received in the transparentcontainer, wherein the color balls fall to the longitudinal grooves toindicate a respective number at the number bars when the rod member isheld in vertical, and are received in the transparent container outsidethe rod member when the rod member is turned upside down.

Published U.S. Patent Application Document No. 20060217169 (Manber)provides a means for randomizing and controlling objects in a zerogravity environment. The invention also replicates and enhancestraditional casino gaming experiences in zero gravity, microgravity, lowgravity and variable gravity environments. This includes adapted seatingfor players and staff, enabling wagering, and ensuring security andintegrity of the games. Both traditional casino games, such as craps,roulette and blackjack, and new games of chance are provided andmodified so as to take advantage of unique properties of zero, low orvariable gravity environments. Games may be either attended orunattended, and wagering may be either on-site or off-site via remotecommunications. Virtual games may also be played in simulated zerogravity, low gravity and variable gravity. One method of uses eightcolored balls, perhaps white, or of different weight and eightdifferently colored balls, perhaps black and white are set into play. Atthe end of play eight balls are randomly selected. In another game,sixteen balls are put into play, eight of one color and eight ofanother. At the end of play, the balls are randomly arranged in a fourby four grid. Guest are able to place a variety of bets, including butnot limited to: (a) the entire pattern, (b) any one column or row, (c)the pattern of the center four balls, and (d) whether there is more of acertain number of one color balls in the top two rows then the bottomtwo.

Roulette players have a variety of betting options. Placing inside betsis either selecting the exact number of the pocket the ball will landin, or a small range of pockets based on their proximity on the layout.Players wishing to bet on the ‘outside’ will select bets on largerpositional groupings of pockets, the pocket color, or whether thewinning number is odd or even. The payout odds for each type of bet arebased on its probability.

The roulette table usually imposes minimum and maximum bets, and theserules usually apply separately for all of a player's inside and outsidebets for each spin. For inside bets at roulette tables, some casinos mayuse separate roulette table chips of various colors to distinguishplayers at the table. Players can continue to place bets as the ballspins around the wheel until the dealer announces no more bets or rienne va plus.

When a winning number and color is determined by the roulette wheel, thedealer will place a marker, also known as a dolly, on that winningnumber on the roulette table layout. When the dolly is on the table, noplayers may place bets, collect bets, or remove any bets from the table.The dealer will then sweep away all other losing bets either by hand orrake, and determine all of the payouts to the remaining inside andoutside winning bets. When the dealer is finished making payouts, themarker is removed from the board where players collect their winningsand make new bets. The winning chips remain on the board.

California Roulette

In 2004, California legalized a form of roulette known as CaliforniaRoulette. By law, the game must use cards and not slots on the roulettewheel to pick the winning number. There are at least two variations. Insome casinos, the dealer spins a wheel containing 38 cards from 1 to 36,plus 0 and 00, and after betting is closed, stops the wheel; a pointeridentifies the winning card, which the dealer removes and shows to theplayers. In the Cache Creek casino in northern California, a wheelresembling a traditional roulette wheel is used, but it has onlyalternating red and black slots with no numbers. As the ball isspinning, the dealer takes cards from a shoe and places two of them facedown on the table in red and black rectangles. When the ball lands in ared or black slot, the card in the corresponding rectangle is turnedover to reveal the winning number.

Roulette Wheel Number Sequence

The pockets of the roulette wheel are numbered from 1 to 36.

In number ranges from 1 to 10 and 19 to 28, odd numbers are red and evenare black. In ranges from 11 to 18 and 29 to 36, odd numbers are blackand even are red.

There is a green pocket numbered 0 (zero). In American roulette, thereis a second green pocket marked 00. Pocket number order on the roulettewheel adheres to the following clockwise sequence in most casinos:

Single-Zero Wheel0-32-15-19-4-21-2-25-17-34-6-27-13-36-11-30-8-23-10-5-24-16-33-1-20-14-31-9-22-18-29-7-28-12-35-3-26

Double-Zero Wheel

0-28-9-26-30-11-7-20-32-17-5-22-34-15-3-24-36-13-1-00-27-10-25-29-12-8-19-31-18-6-21-33-16-4-23-35-14-2

The cloth covered betting area on a roulette table is known as thelayout. The layout is either single zero or double zero. The Europeanstyle layout has a single zero, and the American style layout is usuallya double zero. The American style roulette table with a wheel at one endis now used in most casinos. The French style table with a wheel in thecentre, and a layout on either side is rarely found outside of MonteCarlo.

Bagatelle (from the Chateau de Bagatelle) is a billiards-derived indoortable game, the object of which is to get a number of balls (set at ninein the 19th century) past wooden pins (which act as obstacles) intoholes that are guarded by wooden pegs; penalties are incurred if thepegs are knocked over. It probably developed from the table made withraised sides for trou madame, which was also played with ivory balls andcontinued to be popular into the later nineteenth century, after whichit developed into bar billiards, with influences from the French/Belgiangame billard russe (with supposed Russian origins). A bagatelle variantusing fixed metal pins, billard japonais, eventually led to thedevelopment of pachinko and pinball. Bagatelle is also laterally relatedto miniature golf. Other variants of bagatelle useful in the gamingindustry drop one or more balls (from 0.5 inches to 6.0 inches) drop orpass along a sloped surface past pegs or bumps to be deposited intoslots, holes, trays or other receptacles that indicates values, symbolsor outcomes.

Additional improvements in gaming technology are desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A game object is used as a moving object to provide a random outcomeevent by movement and final stoppage in an outcome indicating positionor mode. Examples are die, dice, balls, roulette balls, roulette wheelsand pointers on candy wheel. The object has:

a) a game object body;

b) the game object body containing an accelerometer microchip, powersource and light-emitting elements within the game object body, lightfrom the light-emitting body being visible outside the game object bodyor a receiver (wireless receiver for independently moving game elementsand wireless or hard-wired if a fixed position game element); and

c) the microchip or receiver closing an electronic circuit for a periodof time less than 5 minutes after the game body is moved.

The game object may be used in games and gaming environments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a standard roulette wheel and play board.

FIG. 2 shows a cutaway perspective view of a self-contained dice tossingsystem for two dice.

FIG. 2A shows a bagatelle board with ball drops.

FIG. 3 shows a cutaway view of a ball having a microprocessor, circuitsand light-emitting elements

FIG. 4 shows a spinning wheel with pegs and a sensor-containing pointer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A game object is used as a moving object to provide a random outcomeevent by movement and final stoppage in an outcome indicating positionor mode. Examples are die, dice, balls, roulette balls, roulette wheelsand pointers on candy wheel. The object has:

a) a game object body;

b) the game object body containing a an accelerometer microchip, powersource and light-emitting elements within the game object body, lightfrom the light-emitting body being visible outside the game object body;and

c) the microchip closing an electronic circuit for a period of time lessthan 5 minutes after the game body is moved.

The game object may be used in games (non-wagering events) and gaming(wagering) environments. Among examples of the game is a die or dicewith six faces having different alphanumerics (including symbols thatrepresent numbers) on each face of the die, such as where the die has atransparent or translucent body having faces with numbers indicated by1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 dots on respective faces. The game object may be aball, such as a ball that has a size less than 4 cm, such as a rouletteball, or multiple balls as in Pachinko or PLINKO™ games.

Any of the microchips may further contain a random number generator or arandomly timed event, especially in an automated gaming machine whereindividual game events (e.g., roulette or craps) in which game play andgame object movement is done in predetermined time intervals (e.g.,every two minutes) with wagering on each individual round of play.

The game object roulette ball or balls may contain multiplelight-emitting elements (e.g., semiconductor light emitters, lightemitting diodes), at least some of the light-emitting elements emittinglight (each light-emitting element may have unique emitting wavelengthsor ranges) in the visible spectrum different from at least some otherlight-emitting elements. In the roulette ball, the microchip may furtherhave a random number generator, and the random number generator directsclosure of a circuit between the power source a light-emitting elementand ones of multiple light-emitting elements on a random basis. Again,the microchip may be programmed to close the circuit independent of anyfinal position of a stop position for the game object.

FIG. 2 shows a bagatelle board 200 with ball drop holes 202, ball dropslots 204, and pegs 206 Other variants of bagatelle useful in the gamingindustry drop one or more balls (from 0.5 inches to 6.0 inches) drop orpass along a sloped surface 208 past pegs or bumps to be deposited intoslots 204, holes 204 or other receptacles that indicates values, symbolsor outcomes.

The game object may be a pointer that has a stop position indicating arandom event outcome on a rotating wheel, such as on Big Six or a candywheel game. The pointer may contain multiple light-emitting elements, atleast some of the light-emitting elements emitting light in the visiblespectrum different from at least some other light-emitting elements.

A method of playing a wagering game comprising uses a game object toprovide a random outcome event by moving the game object and thenstopping the game object to indicate a random event outcome. The gameobject may be:

a) a game object body;

b) the game object body containing a an accelerometer microchip, powersource and light-emitting elements within the game object body, lightfrom the light-emitting body being visible outside the game object body;and

c) the microchip closing an electronic circuit for a period of time lessthan 5 minutes after the game body is moved.

The game object is caused to move (casting, throwing, spinning, rollingor moving an object to strike or repeatedly strike the game object as aphysical step in the game or wagering game, Movement of the game objectcauses the microchip to close the circuit and cause at least one of thelight-emitting elements to emit light. Light emission continues from thelight emitting elements until the random outcome event has beenindicated as a concluding random event on the game. The microchip opensthe circuit to stop light-emission from the at least one light-emittingelement.

The method may use a game object of a die, and the die is cast to causethe movement that initiates closing of the circuit. The microchiprandomly selects at least one of a multiple number of circuits to closeafter movement has stopped, as by the die or dice in a stable positionon a gaming table. The initial movement may cause the microchip to closeat least one circuit to cause a light-emitting element to emit light,and stopping the movement causes the microchip to randomly select atleast one light-emitting element to emit light while the game object isstopped.

The game object may be a roulette ball and spinning of the ball around aridge of a roulette wheel, and the stopping of movement occurs after theroulette ball is fixed at a number position either while the wheel isstill spinning or after the wheel has stopped spinning. Some greatercontrol must be exercised in the timing of the final light, movement andwagering. For example, in die casting, if the player were shaking thedice and a beneficial color were shown before casting but while the dicewere moving in the roller's hand, higher levels of wagers could beplaced to the disadvantage of the casino. Therefore under some gameswhere the wagering may occur after initial movement has begun (as by theshaking of dice, spinning the ball on the roulette wheel, spinning acandy wheel, and the like). To address this issue, a first circuit maybe temporarily (or permanently) closed during initial movement, and thatcircuit opened or remain closed upon cessation of movement, where themicrochip may randomly select at least one other circuit to close (e.g.,with a different color light-emitting element) to alter colors orwavelengths enabled by the first closed circuit and the firstlight-emitting element. An object of the microprocessor is to eliminateany advance knowledge of a final color present on the gaming object whenthe event outcome of a game is determined.

In doing so, the microchip randomly may select at least one of amultiple number of circuits to close after movement has stopped, eitheras a sole color emitter or in combination with other light-emitters tocreate a blended color (recognizable by a game processor or visually) toprovide an effect in the game event outcome. The initial movement maycause the microchip to close at least one circuit to cause alight-emitting element to emit light, and stopping the movement causesthe microchip to randomly select at least one light-emitting element toemit light while the game object is stopped.

The method may be practiced where the game object includes a flexiblepointer positioned adjacent a spinning wheel, and spinning of the wheelcauses objects on the spinning wheel (posts, prongs, grooves, etc.) tostrike and move the flexible pointer to cause the movement thatinitiates closing of the circuit within the pointer. Again, themicrochip randomly selects at least one of a multiple number of circuitsto close after movement has begun, and initial movement may cause themicrochip to close at least one circuit to further cause alight-emitting element to emit light. The movement is stopped which maythen cause the microchip to randomly select at least one light-emittingelement to emit light while the game object is stopped.

The method may be played where initial movement causes the microchip torandomly close at least one circuit to cause a light-emitting element toemit light, and stopping the movement causes the microchip to retainlight emission from the randomly selected closing of the circuit and/orrandomly selects closing of at least one other circuit to cause a secondlight-emitting element to emit light when the objects on the spinningwheel cease striking the game object.

The electromechanical technology embedded and use in the presenttechnology includes micro-technology available in the marketplace andare being improved regularly. The size of individual accelerometers andmicrochips are already less than 0.75 cm and therefore can be usedwithin existing dimension game objects such as roulette balls, dice andmedium-size drop-balls in PLINKO™ games and the like. The technology isvery easily embedded in larger dimension pointers used in spin-wheelgames with segments of the wheel indicating random event outcomes.Useful internal components include, for example, accelerometermicrochips, MEMS, mCubes, such as Microchip Technology whichmanufactures an onboard 9-axis MEMS sensor, the system provides 3Dorientation, tilt-compensated eCompass and continuous auto calibrationmodules.

Microchip Technologies has recently unveiled their GestIC technology asimplemented in the soon-to-be-available MGC3130 chip, an outgrowth of anearlier technology. When used as a 3D digitizer, the MGC3130 resolvesposition within a cube at a remarkable resolution of 150 dpi. (That'svertical resolution as well as in the plane, meaning that roughly abillion voxels (3D pixels) can be distinguished within the scanningvolume.) The sampling rate is 200 measurements per second, allowing theGestIC technology to follow quick adjustments of hand and fingerpositions, velocities, and accelerations.

Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) is a technology that combinescomputers with tiny mechanical devices such as sensors, valves, gears,mirrors, and actuators embedded in semiconductor chips. Paul Saffo ofthe Institute for the Future in Palo Alto, Calif., believes MEMS or whathe calls analog computing will be “the foundational technology of thenext decade.” MEMS is also sometimes called smart matter.

MEMS are already used as accelerometers in automobile air-bags. They'vereplaced a less reliable device at lower cost and show promise of beingable to inflate a bag not only on the basis of sensed deceleration butalso on the basis of the size of the person they are protecting.Basically, a MEMS device contains micro-circuitry on a tiny silicon chipinto which some mechanical device such as a mirror or a sensor has beenmanufactured. Potentially, such chips can be built in large quantitiesat low cost, making them cost-effective for many uses.

Among the presently available uses of MEMS or those under study are:

Global position system sensors that can be included with courier parcelsfor constant tracking and that can also sense parcel treatment en route.

Sensors built into the fabric of an airplane wing so that it can senseand react to air flow by changing the wing surface resistance;effectively creating a myriad of tiny wing flaps.

Optical switching devices that can switch light signals over differentpaths at 20-nanosecond switching speeds.

Sensor-driven heating and cooling systems that dramatically improveenergy savings.

Building supports with imbedded sensors that can alter the flexibilityproperties of a material based on atmospheric stress sensing

These sensors have lines of communication (hard-wired or wireless) tothe circuitry between the light emitters and power source for thelight-emitters. These sensors act to close (to effect light emission)and open (to stop light emission) upon detection of appropriatemovement, cessation of movement or changes in the type of movement. Anapplication-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is an integrated circuit(IC) customized for a particular use, rather than intended forgeneral-purpose use. For example, a chip designed to run in a digitalvoice recorder or a high-efficiency Bitcoin miner is an ASIC.Application Specific Standard Products (ASSPs) are intermediate betweenASICs and industry standard integrated circuits like the 7400 or the 400series. These ASICs (and FPGAs) may be designed to act as the sensor orconnection between the sensor and the circuitry to open and closecircuits.

As feature sizes have shrunk and design tools improved over the years,the maximum complexity (and hence functionality) possible in an ASIC hasgrown from 5,000 gates to over 100 million. Modern ASICs often includeentire microprocessors, memory blocks including ROM, RAM, EEPROM flashmemory and other large building blocks. Such an ASIC is often termed aSoC (System on Chip). Designers of digital ASICs often use a hardwaredescription language (HDL), such as Verilog or VHDL, to describe thefunctionality of ASICs.

Field programmable gated arrays (FPGAs) (FPGA) are the modern-daytechnology for building a breadboard or prototype from standard parts;programmable logic blocks and programmable interconnects allow the sameFPGA to be used in many different applications. For smaller designs orlower production volumes, FPGAs may be more cost effective than an ASICdesign even in production. The non-recurring engineering (NRE) cost ofan ASIC can run into the millions of dollars.

An accelerometer is a device that measures proper acceleration(“g-force”). Proper acceleration is not the same as coordinateacceleration (rate of change of velocity). For example, an accelerometerat rest on the surface of the Earth will measure an acceleration g=9.81m/s² straight upwards. By contrast, accelerometers in free fall orbitingand accelerating due to the gravity of Earth will measure zero.

Accelerometers have multiple applications in industry and science.Highly sensitive accelerometers are components of inertial navigationsystems for aircraft and missiles. Accelerometers are used to detect andmonitor vibration in rotating machinery. Accelerometers are used intablet computers and digital cameras so that images on screens arealways displayed upright. Accelerometers are used in drones for flightstabilization. Pairs of accelerometers extended over a region of spacecan be used to detect differences (gradients) in the properaccelerations of frames of references associated with those points.These devices are called gravity gradiometers, as they measure gradientsin the gravitational field. Such pairs of accelerometers in theory mayalso be able to detect gravitational waves.

Single- and multi-axis models of accelerometer are available to detectmagnitude and direction of the proper acceleration (or g-force), as avector quantity, and can be used to sense orientation (because directionof weight changes), coordinate acceleration (so long as it producesg-force or a change in g-force), vibration, shock, and falling in aresistive medium (a case where the proper acceleration changes, since itstarts at zero, then increases). Micromachined accelerometers areincreasingly present in portable electronic devices and video gamecontrollers, to detect the position of the device or provide for gameinput.

Conceptually, an accelerometer behaves as a damped mass on a spring.When the accelerometer experiences an acceleration, the mass isdisplaced to the point that the spring is able to accelerate the mass atthe same rate as the casing. The displacement is then measured to givethe acceleration.

In commercial devices, piezoelectric, piezoresistive and capacitivecomponents are commonly used to convert the mechanical motion into anelectrical signal. Piezoelectric accelerometers rely on piezoceramics(e.g., lead zirconate titanate) or single crystals (e.g. quartz,tourmaline). They are unmatched in terms of their upper frequency range,low packaged weight and high temperature range. Piezoresistiveaccelerometers are preferred in high shock applications. Capacitiveaccelerometers typically use a silicon micro-machined sensing element.Their performance is superior in the low frequency range and they can beoperated in servo mode to achieve high stability and linearity.

Modern accelerometers are often small micro electro-mechanical systems(MEMS), and are indeed the simplest MEMS devices possible, consisting oflittle more than a cantilever beam with a proof mass (also known asseismic mass). Damping results from the residual gas sealed in thedevice. As long as the Q-factor is not too low, damping does not resultin a lower sensitivity.

Under the influence of external accelerations the proof mass deflectsfrom its neutral position. This deflection is measured in an analog ordigital manner. Most commonly, the capacitance between a set of fixedbeams and a set of beams attached to the proof mass is measured. Thismethod is simple, reliable, and inexpensive. Integrating piezoresistorsin the springs to detect spring deformation, and thus deflection, is agood alternative, although a few more process steps are needed duringthe fabrication sequence. For very high sensitivities quantum tunnelingis also used; this requires a dedicated process making it veryexpensive. Optical measurement has been demonstrated on laboratoryscale.

Another, far less common, type of MEMS-based accelerometer contains asmall heater at the bottom of a very small dome, which heats the airinside the dome to cause it to rise. A thermocouple on the domedetermines where the heated air reaches the dome and the deflection offthe center is a measure of the acceleration applied to the sensor.

Most micromechanical accelerometers operate in-plane, that is, they aredesigned to be sensitive only to a direction in the plane of the die. Byintegrating two devices perpendicularly on a single die a two-axisaccelerometer can be made. By adding another out-of-plane device threeaxes can be measured. Such a combination may have much lowermisalignment error than three discrete models combined after packaging.

Micromechanical accelerometers are available in a wide variety ofmeasuring ranges, reaching up to thousands of g's. The designer mustmake a compromise between sensitivity and the maximum acceleration thatcan be measured.

The accelerometers and microchips and other elements may be combinedwithin the gaming object to be used with proximity sensors (e.g., in theball to determine when it is seated within a canoe or drop slot in aball-drop game, transducer, switches and the like. As noted, the movingobject need not come to a complete stop before the final light effect isprovided. A good example of this feature is shown in a roulette wheel.

Betting is stopped in roulette either before the ball initially spinsaround the rim, and always before the ball begins to drop towards thenumbered slots o canoes in the wheel. As the sensors can measure speed,angular velocity and relative directions of movement and changes indirections of movement. For example, the sensor may trigger final lightmovement when the angular velocity drops below a specific limit usuallytargeted as an end of wagering time, or when the direction of movementchanges from movement around the rim to a descent towards the numberedslots or canoes. The change in color to the final color, or a changeeven to an intermediate color before the final color may be used tosignal a close of all wagers on that game event. Where electronicwagering is associated with the gaming table, sensing of an intermediatecolor change or the final color change (e.g., by a camera or even signalemissions from the game object) can trigger the electronic wageringpositions to close so that no further wagers can be entered and acceptedby the wagering system.

Game content useful within the scope of the presently disclosedtechnology is quite extensive. A summary of the novel game content is asfollows.

Existing paytables may be altered according to colors of the gameobject, other by colors altering the paytables themselves, or by playerswagering on paytables that are dependent upon a specifically wageredcolor or specific combinations of or specific sets of colors wageredupon. Using the simplest technology of a spin wheel and pointer, thesevariations can be better appreciated.

In a standard spin wheel game, players wager on specific numbers orvalues (e.g., 1×, 2×, 5×, 10×, 20×, 100×, etc.) and if the wagerednumber or value is the random outcome of the stopped pointer on thewheel, the wager is played at fixed odds. There is never any variationin the types of payouts available.

In a wheel and pointer system, changing ball colors alter payouts. Forexample, if a ball ends up as a “gold” color, the paytable may altersuch that a 1× payout becomes a 2× payout and a 2× payout gives theplayer a free wager on the next spin at 2× and 5×, with no payment onthe “gold” ball outcome. Another game format is to have the wheel alsochange colors randomly at each canoe, and if a ball matches the slotcolor, there is an increased payout or additional free spins at the samewagering amount. Comps at the gaming establishment, hotel or managinggroup may also be provided from matching color ball and slot.

Multiple balls may be used, with players wagering on both outcomes(numbers or values) and colors to be determined by the pointer changingcolor so that increased payouts can be provided. By adjusting the payoutodds (e.g., $1.00 returns $0.90 on a high frequency color and returns$10.00 on a low frequency color), higher awards can be provided and ahouse advantage can be adjusted as desired.

In a bagatelle game, wherein slots or holes have different values (e.g.,$1.00, $0.00, or $10.00), different symbols (e.g., poker ranks, paymentsymbols such as in slot machines, alphanumerics, etc.), and/ormultipliers, the outcomes are fixed with respect to the final ballposition. Using the present technology, the balls (and even the balldrop positions) can have the randomly provided colors. The player isable to wager on both the symbology, numbers and values, and may also beable to make the original wager directed towards a specific one of theavailable random colors and/or a matched set of colors, as in both theball and the receptacle. The receptacles may also have fixed or randomlyselected colors (provided independently at their own frequency) so thatthe probability and especially low probability of their matching canprovide for higher payouts on the game. Rather than being limited topayouts of 1× to 25×, payouts on wagers can be 100×, 500×, 1000×, oreven progressive jackpots with extremely large and increasing jackpotsin the game. Players may wager on conventional bagatelle events orvarious color-oriented events that are randomly generated by the balls,alone or in combination with random or fixed colors in ball drops orslots.

The roulette game may use one or multiple color changing roulette balls,with canoes or slots adjusted or not to accept multiple balls.

With dice, payout odds and even losses can be altered or moderated. Forexample, if both dice are the lowest frequency color and a “seven-out”occurs, the house may collect only pass line wagers and odds, while allproposition bets (e.g., craps, eleven, hopping number, world bet, etc.)may not be collected. This would promote wagering on outcomes with ahigher house advantage and increase house profits. Other dice outcomes,such as the highest probability color occurring in both dice on aseven-out may allow all hard-ways wagers to remain active and not becollected. It is also possible that where identical colors or the samelowest probability colors occur in a 1-1 or 6-6 outcome, all previouscome bets (not the odds) are paid at 1:1.

Alternatively, after such an event, all wagers are frozen, but all oddsbets ON THE NEXT ROLL are increased (e.g., 4 and 10 odds will pay 2.5:1,5 and 9 odds are paid at 2:1, and 6 and 8 odds are paid at 7:5).

In Pachinko or PLINKO™ games where multiple balls are dropped, specialfinal color balls may count as multiple balls or provide a special bonuswith special colors.

The bagatelle-type game system may be generally described as follows.

A wagering game system used to provide a random outcome event bymovement and final stoppage of a projectile in an outcome indicatingmode may have:

a) a projectile used as a game object;

b) the game object containing an accelerometer microchip, power sourceand light-emitting elements within the game object body, light from thelight-emitting body being visible outside the game object body;

c) the microchip closing an electronic circuit for a period of timeafter the game body is moved; and

d) a game platform surface on which the projectile moves and then stopsin a projectile stopping receiver.

The wagering game system may have the projectile consist of a ball. Theplatform surface may have pegs or moguls, or slopes to deflect the ballas it moves on the surface to promote random movement. The projectilestopping receiver may be one or more holes in the game platform surface,alone or in combination with projectile stopping receivers as a receptorspace between two ridges in the game platform surface.

FIG. 2 is a perspective cutaway view of a self-contained dice outcomesystem 200. This illustrates a specific example of a dice shakerassembly 200. As illustrated in FIG. 2, dice 204 with embeddedmicroprocessors/microchips/accelerometers 242 are contained within adice receptacle 104 and a cover member 108. As discussed herein, varioustypes of dice, dice receptacles, and cover members may be used. Forexample, the cover member 108 illustrated in FIG. 2 is a clear glassdome through which the dice are visible.

At 112, an example of a sensor assembly is illustrated. According tovarious embodiments, various types, numbers, and configurations ofcomponents may be used in a sensor assembly. As is illustrated in FIG.2, one or more electronic components may be located within the diceshaker assembly. For example, the electronic components may include oneor more of a power supply, a processor, a memory device, a communicationdevice, a sensor assembly, etc. (or some combination thereof). In theexample illustrated in FIG. 2, the components includetransmitter/receiver 234, motion unit 232, battery 236, game processor238, and sensor platform movement 228, and I/O ports 244. Componentssuch as these will be discussed in greater detail below. It should benoted that the components included in the example dice shaker assemblyare only an example configuration of components. In differentembodiments, different types, configurations, and/or numbers ofcomponents may be used. For example, as will be discussed herein, insome embodiments the dice shaker assembly may include one or moremechanical, rather than electronic, components. The dice shaker assembly200 in FIG. 2 usually has larger size dice 204 within the dice shakerassembly, which allows for the microprocessor/microchips 242 to beembedded within the cover member 108.

The electronic components present in some embodiments of a dice shakerassembly are powered by one or more power sources, such as arechargeable battery. Various techniques may be used to provide power tothe dice shaker assembly, such as human kinetics (e.g., during shaking),electronic induction, and/or physically coupling the dice shakerassembly to an external power source. As will be described herein,however, in some embodiments the dice shaker assembly may operatewithout any electric power, such as through the use of mechanicalsensors, switches, etc.

In some embodiments, the dice shaker assembly may include a powerindicator. A power indicator may provide an indication of how much poweris left in a battery associated with the dice shaker assembly orindicate a lower power condition. Various types of power indicators maybe used, such as audible alarms, LED displays, LCD displays, etc.Additionally, or alternately, in some embodiments information related tothe amount of power remaining in the dice shaker assembly may betransmitted to one or more external devices.

In some embodiments, a dice shaker assembly may also include one or moreexternal ports. According to various embodiments, external ports may beoperable to perform various functions. For example, in some embodimentsone or more external ports may be operable to couple with an externalpower source to charge a rechargeable battery in the dice shakerassembly. Alternately, one or more external ports may be operable tocommunicate with one or more external devices, such as to conveyinformation related to shake quality and/or shake outcome.

FIG. 2A shows front view of a bagatelle board 250 with hole ball drops252 a and slot ball drops 252 b at the bottom 254 of the board 250. Agaming device 256 according to the presently disclosed technologycapable of providing random colors is nestled in a ball support cup 258at the end of a ball ejection trigger or plunger 260. The gaming device(here a ball) 256 is ejected along pathway A where it falls towards thebottom 254 of the board 250. An initial, resilient (e.g., rubber orpadded) bumper 262 is often provided to prevent a hard ball release fromdamaging parts of the bagatelle board 250. As the ball gaming device 256begins its fall towards the bottom 254 of the board 250, it may firstimpact pegs 264 on the board 250 to randomly deflect a falling pathwayor trajectory of the ball game device 256. Either the initial ejection,impact with the resilient bumper 262, impact with the pegs or moguls264, dropping into hole 252 a or stopping within slots 252 b may be theend of movement event within the game. When the ball game device 256 iscaptured in a hole 252 a, the ball game device 256 will usually besupported at a level within the hole 252 a so that the final color canbe observed.

FIG. 3 shows a cutaway view of a ball 300 having a microprocessor 302,on-off circuits 304 and light-emitting elements 306, and a power supply308 with independent on-off circuits 304 a, 304 b, and 304 c controlledby the microprocessor 302 connecting the power supply 308 to thelight-emitting elements 306. The power supply (e.g., battery) may berechargeable as by a radiofrequency receiver or motion rechargingelement 314. Each light-emitting element may have 1, 2 or 3 (320, 322and 324) independent light emitting sub-elements (e.g., red, green andblue LEDs, or other combinations of colors), and the three withindependent on-off circuits 304 a, 304 b, and 304 c may have a multiple(e.g., in this case, three-way) communication line 326 to theindependent light emitting sub-elements so that the microprocessor 302directs the specific final color to be emitted by one or more of theindependent light emitting sub-elements 320, 322 and 324. Themicroprocessor 302 is shown with specific circuitry 310 for motionsensing and direction of motion and circuitry 312 for timing functionsand random event generation.

FIG. 4 shows a spinning wheel 400 with pegs 402 and a majorsensor-containing pointer 404. The major sensor-containing pointer 404has a flexible or pivoting pointing tip 410 that is shown extendingbetween pegs 402 a and 402 b that define an outcome area 408. Upon firststrike of the pegs 402 a or 402 b, the sensor 420 within the majorsensor-containing pointer 404 initiates light-emission diodes 422 (none,one, two or three, for example) to emit light and eventually emit afinal color upon cessation of impact with the pointer 404 and stoppedmotion. Also shown are pointers with sensors 404 a, 404 b and 404 cwhich may represent stop positions for the pointer 404 where the pointermoves, or may represent a set of one, two or three additional pointerswith sensors on which wagers may be placed. One or more of the fourshown pointers may not have sensors, and one or more of the pointerswith sensors may shift positions (within limits so as to not impact anyother pointer) around the wheel so that specific distances (or angularpositions) between outcomes from the multiple pointers are not fixed.This works most simply where there is one fixed pointer with sensor andone pointer (with or without sensor) that rotates about the wheel, withfreedom of movement that excludes at least the area between 402 a and402 b, and likely at least one adjacent area one each side next to 402 aand 402 b, and alternatively two or three or more sets of adjacent areason one or both sides next to 402 a and 402 b. Thus wagers may be placedon one or more of multiple pointers with sensors and random lightemission. Wagers may be made on one or more specific colors (usuallywith different colors being wagered on, separate wagers on each colorshould be made. With multiple wagers on multiple pointers and each wagerselecting a color, movement of a sensor-containing pointer 404 b. 404 coccurs between different positions around the wheel 400. The movementarc B between two different symbol or random event outcomes by a singlesensor or non-sensor containing pointer (e.g., 404 b moving to positionof the sensor 404 c) creates an additional randomization as a pointermay move independently (alone or in combination with the wheelspinning).

The pointers may be made of an elastomeric material rubber, polymer orcoated element) to reduce wear against or on the pegs 402 and thepointers may swivel or pivot to assist in reducing these types of wear.

The timing and duration of the light-emission can be programmed into themicroprocessor to occur at different designed times and durations, someof which have been indicated above. One simple modality is that thefinal color remains until movement of the game object begins again in anext game play event. For dice, this could be the first bounce oncasting, with a roulette ball it could be initial movement on the rim orfirst bounce off a deflector on the roulette wheel. For the spinningwheel with pointer, this could be the first strike by pegs whenspinning.

Alternative game objects may be used as moving objects to provide arandom outcome event by movement and final stoppage in an outcomeindicating position or mode. Examples are die, dice, balls, rouletteballs, roulette wheels and pointers on candy wheel. The object has:

a) a game object body;

b) the game object body containing an accelerometer microchip, powersource and light-emitting elements within the game object body, lightfrom the light-emitting body being visible outside the game object bodyor a receiver; and

c) the microchip or receiver closing an electronic circuit for a periodof time less than 5 minutes after the game body is moved.

The game object body may contain a receiver in communication with atransmitter outside of the game body. The transmitter may operatethrough wireless (wifi, Bluetooth, RF or other electromagneticcommunication) or by wired connection where (as with a pointer orsurface contact with a communicating surface forming a wired connectioninto the object body to signal the circuits to open and close), thetransmitter transmitting outcomes from a random number generator to thereceiver to direct closure of at least one of the electronic circuits.The external random number generator operates to provide the sameeffects as the internal random number generator described above. As thesignal may be wireless transmitted, additional security for the signalsshould be imposed on the system. The security can be imposed by numerousknown methodologies such as signal encryption, variable signal emission,variable frequency emissions, and other encoding, masking and screeningtransmission technology. Other signal securing technologies may also beused.

As with the previously described game objects with internal processors,the game object of the external processor system may still have multiplelight-emitting elements within the game object body, and multipleindependent circuits each in communication with individual ones of themultiple light-emitting elements, the receiver providing signals toclose at least one circuit to cause a light-emitting element to be lit.Again, at least two of the multiple light-emitting elements emit lightof different colors and the random number generator outcome identifieswhich of the multiple light-emitting elements will be lit. Outcomes fromthe random number generator are weighted so that differentlight-emitting elements are to be lit at different frequencies. Thisweighting of outcomes still maintains randomness of outcomes, eventhough probabilities of the individual color outcomes are not equal.This can be done by known probability weighting methods. For example, ifthere are 5 possible color outcomes, the random number generator may beprovided with 1000 possible outcomes of which one color outcome may beavailable from 600 of the 1000 outcomes, a second color may be assignedto 250 of the 1000 outcomes, a third color may be assigned 240 of the1000 outcomes, a fourth color may be assigned 9 of the 1000 outcomes andthe fifth color may be assigned 1 of the 1000 outcomes.

The game object may have signals from the transmitter to the receiverencrypted to identify source of the signals from the transmitter, thespecific receiver in the game body and exclude reception of signals bythe receiver that will close one of the multiple circuits.

Other alternative technologies and systems within the scope of thepresent technology may also be used. Receiver slots and receiver holesmay be provided with randomly selected light emitters, with the balldrop triggering a random selection of a light color. The ball may stillflash color during movement and stop changing color upon cessation ofmovement (which may be trivial if the receptor, slot or hole becomes acolor indicator). The receptors may flash different colors as anattractive display, but with the final color still being randomlyprovided by random selection, random time intervals until ball capture,or by random number generator in a processor in the game play surface.The random number generation may be initiated by the ball reception totrigger random color outcome selection, with the fact of the receptionhaving no influence over the ball color outcome except for initiation ofthe random selection by the processor. The receptor areas my makeelectrical and electronic signal connection with the game device toprovide a signal to the light-emitting elements (in the game device orthe receptor areas). For example, in a popper device for dice, thepopper surface may make electronic connection to the face of the die incontact with the surface and send a signal (for random color generation)to the circuits in the die. The signal(s) from the processor would betransmitted into the game body or receptor positions to cause randomcolor light-emission.

Other alternative constructions and parallel components and variedstructures are within the skill of the artisan and within the scope ofthe generic invention described herein.

What is claimed:
 1. A wagering game system used to provide a randomoutcome event by movement and final stoppage of a pointer in an outcomeindicating mode comprising: a) a pointer in combination with a rotatingwheel used as a game object; b) the pointer containing an accelerometermicrochip, power source and light-emitting elements within the pointerbody or in a second element in communication with the pointer, lightfrom the light-emitting body being visible outside the pointer; c) themicrochip closing an electronic circuit for a period of time after thepointer is moved or struck; and d) a game platform surface on the wheelwhich has projections that strike the pointer when the wheel spins andthe wheel is struck by the projections and then the wheel stops with thepointer indicating a random event outcome on the wheel; and e) a randomfinal color is provided by the light-emitting elements when the wheelstops.
 2. The wagering game system of claim 1 wherein the pointer isflexible, pivots or is flexible and pivots.
 3. The wagering game systemof claim 2 wherein the platform surface comprises pegs to strike thepointer as the wheel moves on the surface and then pegs define areas onthe wheel with random event outcomes identified between adjacent pegs.4. The wagering game system of claim 3 wherein the pointer contains atleast some of the light emitting elements, and among the light emittingelements are individual light-emitting elements that individually emitdifferent color lights; wherein the pointer moves angularly about thewheel while the wheel spins.
 5. The wagering game system of claim 3wherein multiple pointers are present and at least one of the multiplepointers comprise an accelerometer microchip, power source andlight-emitting elements within the pointer body or in a second elementin communication with the pointer, light from the light-emitting bodybeing visible outside the pointer; and wherein multiple pointers arepresent and at least one of the multiple pointers comprise anaccelerometer microchip, power source and light-emitting elements withinthe pointer body or in a second element in communication with thepointer, light from the light-emitting body being visible outside thepointer and at least one pointer moves angularly about the wheel whilethe wheel spins and at least one pointer is in a fixed position relativeto the spinning wheel.
 6. The wagering game system of claim 1 whereinthe wheel and pointer comprises a gaming device selected from the groupconsisting of a big six wheel and a candy wheel.
 7. The wagering gamesystem of claim 1 wherein the pointer contains multiple light-emittingelements, at least some of the light-emitting elements emitting light inthe visible spectrum different from at least some other light-emittingelements.
 8. The wagering game system of claim 7 wherein theaccelerometer microchip further comprises a random number generator, andthe random number generator directs activation of a circuit between thepower source and ones of the multiple light-emitting elements on arandom basis.
 9. The wagering game system of claim 1 wherein theaccelerometer microchip is programmed to activate the circuitindependent of any final position of a stop position for the pointer.10. The wagering game system of claim 1 wherein the pointer is used incombination with a rotating wheel that has stop positions indicatingrandom event outcomes on the rotating wheel.
 12. The wagering gamesystem of claim 11 wherein the pointer contains multiple light-emittingelements, at least some of the light-emitting elements emitting light inthe visible spectrum different from at least some other light-emittingelements.
 13. A method of playing a wagering game comprising using awagering game system used to provide a random outcome event by movementand final stoppage of a pointer in an outcome indicating modecomprising: a) a pointer in combination with a rotating wheel used as agame object; b) the pointer containing an accelerometer microchip, powersource and light-emitting elements within the pointer body or in asecond element in communication with the pointer, light from thelight-emitting body being visible outside the pointer; c) the microchipactivating an electronic circuit for a period of time after the pointeris moved or struck; and d) a game platform surface on the wheel whichhas projections that strike the pointer when the wheel spins and thewheel is struck by the projections and then the wheel stops with thepointer indicating a random event outcome on the wheel; and e) a randomfinal color is provided by the light-emitting elements when the wheelstops; wherein the game object is caused to move as a physical step inthe wagering game, and movement of the game object causes theaccelerometer microchip to activate the electronic circuit and cause atleast one of the light-emitting elements to emit light; continuing lightemission from the light emitting elements until the random outcome eventhas been indicated; and the microchip deactivating the circuit to stoplight-emission from the at least one light-emitting element.
 14. Themethod of claim 13 wherein the game object consists of a rotating wheeland stationary pointer, and rotation of the wheel impacts the pointer toinitiate activating of the circuit; wherein the microchip randomlyselects at least one of a multiple number of circuits to close aftermovement has stopped; wherein initial movement causes the microchip toactivate at least one circuit to cause a light-emitting element to emitlight, and stopping the movement causes the microchip to randomly selectat least one light-emitting element to emit light while the rotatingwheel is stopped; and the stopping of movement occurs after the rotatingwheel has stopped at a number position indicated by the pointer; whereinthe microchip randomly selects at least one of a multiple number ofcircuits to cause a light-emitting element to emit light, and stoppingthe movement causes the microchip to randomly select at least onelight-emitting element to emit light while the rotating wheel isstopped; wherein the pointer consists of a flexible pointer positionedadjacent a spinning wheel, and spinning of the wheel causes objects onthe spinning wheel strike and move the flexible pointer comprises themovement that initiates closing of the circuit within the pointer.
 15. Awagering game system used to provide a random outcome event by movementand final stoppage of a pointer in an outcome indicating modecomprising: a) a pointer in combination with a rotating wheel used as agame object; b) the pointer containing an accelerometer microchip, powersource and light-emitting elements within the pointer body or in asecond element in communication with the pointer, light from thelight-emitting body being visible outside the pointer; c) the microchipclosing an electronic circuit for a period of time after the pointer ismoved or struck; and d) a game platform surface on the wheel which hasprojections that strike the pointer when the wheel spins and the wheelis struck by the projections and then the wheel stops with the pointerindicating a random event outcome on the wheel; and e) a random finalcolor is provided by the light-emitting elements when the wheel stops.16. The wagering game system of claim 15 wherein the pointer isflexible, pivots without flexibility or is flexible and pivots.
 17. Thewagering game system of claim 16 wherein the rotating wheel comprisespegs to strike the pointer as the rotating wheel rotates and the pegsdefine areas on the wheel with random event outcomes identified betweenadjacent pegs.
 18. The wagering game system of claim 17 wherein thepointer contains at least some of the light emitting elements, and amongthe light emitting elements are individual light-emitting elements thatindividually emit different color lights; wherein the pointer movesangularly about the wheel while the wheel spins.
 19. The wagering gamesystem of claim 17 wherein multiple pointers are present and at leastone of the multiple pointers comprise an accelerometer microchip, powersource and light-emitting elements within the pointer body or in asecond element in communication with the pointer, light from thelight-emitting body being visible outside the pointer; and whereinmultiple pointers are present and at least one of the multiple pointerscomprise an accelerometer microchip, power source and light-emittingelements within the pointer body or in a second element in communicationwith the pointer, light from the light-emitting body being visibleoutside the pointer and at least one pointer moves angularly about thewheel while the wheel spins and at least one pointer is in a fixedposition relative to the spinning wheel.
 20. A game object provided as apointer adjacent to a rotating wheel with pegs thereon to provide arandom outcome event by movement and final stoppage in an outcomeindicating position or mode and the pointer containing an accelerometermicrochip, power source and light-emitting elements within the pointer,light from the light-emitting body being visible outside the pointer;and c) the accelerometer microchip activating an electronic circuit fora period of time less than 5 minutes after the game body is moved. 21.The game object of claim 20 wherein the pointer contains a receiver incommunication with a transmitter outside of the pointer, the transmittertransmitting outcomes from a random number generator to the receiver toclose the electronic circuit.
 22. The game object of claim 20 whereinthere are multiple light-emitting elements within the pointer, andmultiple independent circuits each in communication with individual onesof the multiple light-emitting elements, the receiver providing signalsto activate at least one circuit to cause a light-emitting element to belit, and wherein at least two of the multiple light-emitting elementsemit light of different colors and the random number generator outcomeidentifies which of the multiple light-emitting elements will be lit.